Acting Against the Acta

Senators, let us not pretend that there is any good in these papers of Caesar. By this point, there is little doubt in my mind that when Caesar was scribbling these papers he was touched in the head. Look at the vile monsters he dared suggest were capable of holding any position: Dolabella, that traitorous and spineless consul, Lepidus, that slippery and arrogant warmonger- his own Magister Equitum, Octavian, that upstart brat with delusions of grandeur- his heir, and finally cowardly Marc Antony, whom he left the acta with in the first place. Why have we been following this guidance? Why have we put our ears to the ground, listening to hear if a shade of a tyrant would give his approval? This is not republicanism! Every deed we follow in Caesar’s name is a deed not carried out in the name of the Senate and the People of Rome!

Some might criticize my harshness here, citing that Aulus Hirtius is certainly no Antony or Dolabella and that not every choice Caesar made was a bad one. Well, to be fair to poor departed Caesar’s memory, he had to get something right eventually. But whether one good idea outweighs four horrible appointments should not be a question! Even I doffed my insignia as praetor because it was granted to me by a tyrant, and only resumed the position at the behest of my fellow senators who wisely pointed out that to loose a praetor at such a turbulent time would be an egregious error. I do not mean to sound as though I am asking Hirtius to step down- far from it! I laud the Senate in recommending his name for election, just as I laud their recommendation of Lucius Julius Caesar. I do not praise the will of Caesar, but the will of the Senate! This august body has finally begun making its own decisions. May it continue to follow in this glorious way!

Apparently the acta also include some financial matters which have not yet been resolved as well as public works. Tell me, Senators, was Caesar the only man who proposed public works or accrued debt? Surely every man in this room has some idea as to what to do in regards to these issues, why in the name of Jupiter must we consult Caesar’s acta in order to make a decision? I have no doubt that many Senators may consult the acta for guidance, and with that I have no complaint. It is the duty of the Senate to consider many means to reach an end and advice the magistrates accordingly. It is not, however, the duty of the Senate to further glorify a tyrant by acting only as he would direct. He should have been thrown into the Tiber- then we could have called him a tyrant formally from the beginning and disregarded simpering Dolabella and put in his place a more worthy candidate for the consulship; we could have dealt more readily with brazen Lepidus and his overgrown hubris; we could have denied Octavian the right to his adoptive father’s funds and kept him under our control; and we could have kept Antony in check. Instead we were awed by his lingering specter and bent over backwards according to the will of a dead man. No more, Senators! I say this Senate needs to start thinking for itself!